Paralakhemundi (Orissa State), India Full MTM Conference Group

Our trip to India was an amazing journey with God! We shared in Paralekhemundi, Orissa, and then again in Port Blair, Andaman/Nicobar Islands. In both places we continued to hear the same things. “Your teaching is so different.”

In Port Blair, the Christians number about 20% of the population. They say they have many conferences, and were about to cancel the MTM conference because MTM was new to them, they didn’t know us, and also because they had so many other conferences scheduled. The Indian contact that set up the conference was from Orissa, so they didn’t know him either. He persisted when they called him to cancel. He told them our teaching is very different. They decided to go ahead with a 2 day conference.

When we arrived, we could tell they were very skeptical. They told us they had checked out MTM and IGo on the internet to make sure we had no false doctrine. They had scheduled a 2 day conference Tuesday and Wednesday. As God would have it, there was a monthly pastors meeting on Monday. Approximately 40 pastors would be there. They asked if we would share a message at that meeting. We did. Immediately we heard comments that “This is very different teaching.” And they wanted to hear more. Tuesday arrived, and we weren’t sure what to expect. There were approximately 60 pastors that attended. Again we heard the same comments. “This teaching is very different!”

Wednesday came, and Raymond and I were both very pressed in how to share so much material in 4 – 1hour sessions. The time for the conference to end was 1:30 in the afternoon because some would have to go to the schools and pick up their children, others had job commitments and all would want to eat lunch! As is normal in India, we started an hour late, which compounded the problem. We taught as fast as we could! But we did not finish until 3PM. No one left! In fact they continued to come AFTER 1:30. By the end of the conference there were more than 70 in attendance. So many of the church leaders blessed us, asked for prayer, and invited us to come to the islands again. Over and over they commented. “We have had much teaching, many conferences but nothing like this.” Our Orissa brother told us that it is unheard of for the men to stay past 1:30! He said it is a miracle!! We give God Praise!

Andaman Nicobar Islands (Port Blair) MTM Pastors Conference Group

Raymond taught on “The Ministry of the Holy Spirit.” A truly Biblical perspective of WHY God has given us the Holy Spirit, and WHAT God wants to do through the Holy Spirit. Not the signs and wonders that many are teaching today. As one Indian pastor said from Port Blair, “Many come advertising their names, healing, miracles and deliverance, but you came and gave us the Gospel.” He continued to say, ” Those people follow the things that are supposed to follow them but they preach NO gospel at all.”

I taught on “A Glimpse of the Heart of God for You.” We examined the Scriptures and discovered God’s heart’s desire revealed from Genesis to Revelation. Most Christians today are only concerned about the blessing and the promises that we have in the Bible, never considering, never seeing, our responsibility to be vessels through which God’s heart’s desire would be accomplished. Again, they responded that they have never seen these things before.

I am aware that there are those reading this newsletter who may not be of Anabaptist persuasion. God bless you. But to those of you who are Anabaptist, I want to say this: Raymond and I finally asked our Orissa brother who accompanied us. “Why do people continue to tell us that our teaching is different? What are they hearing from others?” His answer confirmed that the Anabaptist desire to live out in a literal way, the teachings of the Bible, and this is what the young churches on that side of the world are hungering for. From the US and UK, they are being taught a different Gospel than what they are reading in their Bibles. When they heard the things (that we often take for granted) it connected in their hearts with what they understand the Bible to teach. And they are hungry for more.

Brothers and sisters, this is our time. This is our open door. If you can’t go, please help someone who is willing to go. Because of you, IGo and MTM exist. And because of you, there are church leaders all over Orissa, India, and throughout Port Blair in the Andaman/Nicobar Islands, who are more determined to not expose their congregations to “strange fire.” To God alone be the Glory. Rejoice with us for the Great things God has done. – Collier Berkshire

Editors Note; Collier Berkshire & his wife Nettie and his family live in northern Indiana, USA. He serves on the ministry team at Sandy Ridge Mennonite church at Plymouth, Indiana. In the past he has also served with IGo here in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Presently he is also serving on the stateside IGo board. May God reward you openly my dear brother for serving the Lord with IGo-MTM.

Pastor Subodh Bardham’s Testimony of MTM

I am very happy and thankful to my Lord Jesus Christ for the MTM program. For His wonderful ministers, Raymond & Collier, whom God really Anointed with the Holy Ghost and filled with the His true knowledge of Word of God.

Really we have been very much blessed through your teaching on Holy Ghost and Heart of God for the Nation. It was very much new and challenging teaching for the ministers of God here in India. After conference over, many of the Pastor, Evangelist and Church leaders gave thanks to God and for your teaching as they said it is different teaching than others do. MTM Teaching is very much needed in our ministry and day today life to equip and mobilize our own people those who have not received yet to Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal saviour in their life and to make them disciple of Jesus Christ to extend His kingdom.

We thank God very much for His wonderful plan for the people of India and also we are very much thankful to Raymond and Pastor Collier for to come here and did the very unique teaching ministry here in Paralakhemundi, Orissa and Andaman Nicobar Island Port Blair.

This is my prayer to God and request to you please pray and try for next year to conduct the program continually here in Orissa, India for the glory of God to extend His kingdom. Our people are really thirsty for the word of God so they need your teaching program help. Please pray for my family and ministry. Thank your for your love and prayer.

May the Lord Jesus Christ Bless you and MTM. Thanks

Pastor Subodh Kumar Bardhan
Sundargarh Orissa.

 CLICK HERE FOR A PICTURE TOUR OF MTM TO ORISSA & THE ANDAMAN NICOBAR ISLANDS

This became the cry of the Egyptian believers at the MTM Conference in Luxor, Egypt this past week. God mightily moved in the hearts of these dear people concerning “Living water”, and “The sons of Ishmael.”

The Egypt MTM Ministry Team

“Ohhh … For The Living Water”

Brother Raymond taught a powerful series on “The Ministry of Holy Spirit”, showing how we need to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, in order to boldly preach the gospel. Raymond took us from the; Cup of Salvation in Psalms 116:13, to the Well of Water in John 4; followed by the River of Living Water in John 7:37; and on to Ezekiel 47 where there is swimming in the river.” All these are pictures of the Holy Spirit. Raymond finished with Luke 11: 5-13, giving a very clear picture of the purpose of asking for the Holy Spirit, being not for our own blessing, but for others. “Others, Lord, yes others, Let this my motto be, That when I have lived for others, then I have lived for Thee” !!!

“Ohhh … That Ishmael Might Live”

I taught on Hagar and Ishmael out of Genesis, calling our dear brothers and sisters in Egypt to consider that Ishmael has been blessed. And that God has a special plan for the Sons of Ishmael, which are the Arab nations of today, including Egypt. Understanding that Mohammed, the founder of Islam, was a direct descendant of one of the sons of Ishmael, we looked at the root of Islam beginning with Hagar and Ishmael. “Oh, that Ishmael might live.” This is the cry of Abraham to God for his son Ishmael, when God told him that he would have another son by Sarah.

The story begins in Genesis 12 where the Patriarch Abram moves to Canaan having been called out of his country and given that great promise of Blessing. During a famine he travels to Egypt persuading his beautiful wife to say that she is his sister. Pharaoh takes Sarai into his house and gives Abram many gifts including men and maid servants. God plagued Pharaoh’s house and he ends up finding out that he has another man’s wife. He reproves Abram and sends them away. Then in chapter 15 the Word of the LORD comes to Abram in a vision promising Abram a son of his own bowels. God then initiates a blood covenant established on His own immutability. See Hebrews 6:17-18

In Chapter 16, Sarai suggests to Abram that perhaps God would have him take her Egyptian maid to wife and bear a son by her. Abram agrees and takes Hagar to wife and she conceives. Conflict arises between the women and Sarai treats Hagar badly, so that Hagar runs away. An angel finds her by a well of water and Hagar has a personal experience with the Lord. The Lord tells her to go back and submit (a Muslim is one who submits) promising her a son, multiplying her seed, naming him Ishmael, meaning: “The Lord hears in affliction”. Hagar bears Abram a son and calls his name, Ishmael. Consider how Abram must have loved his only son and taught him about his God. Ishmael grows up being the object of his father’s love and joy.

In Genesis 17, God appears to Abram, renames him Abraham and his wife Sarah, initiates the covenant of circumcision, and promises a son by her saying that the promise would be to Sarah’s son. This is where Abraham makes his plea for Ishmael; “O that Ishmael might live before thee”. So God also pronounces a special blessing on Ishmael, making him fruitful and multiplying him exceedingly making him a great nation. But, clearly establishing the covenant with Isaac! Sarah gives birth to a son and names him Isaac. She weans him and Abraham makes a great feast on that day. Ishmael mocks Isaac and Sarah tells Abraham to “cast out the bond woman and her son”. This cause great grief to Abraham! But God tells Abraham to do as Sarah has said, for “in Isaac shall thy seed be called”. Ishmael would no longer know the love of a father! (Tragic, even to this very day). Hagar and Ishmael are sent away with a bottle of water and a little bread. Ishmael is rejected by his father, losing all his inheritance to Isaac. The animosity between the sons of Isaac and the sons of Ishmael, as well as the conflict over the land of Canaan continues as of today. Hagar runs out of water and put Ishmael under a bush, leaving him all alone, removing herself so she does not need to watch him die. But God “hears the affliction of Ishmael” and speaks to the mother, opens her eyes to the well of water, and she takes water to him and he lives. She takes him a wife out of Egypt. Sons were born to him, Nebajoth; and Kedar, (Isaiah 60:7) and others.

Christians Today?

Many Christians are afraid of Muslims and are not taking the water of life to “Ishmael”. The well was there, but Hagar just could not see it. The Christian Church knows about the “well of water of life”, but many would rather let the Sons of Ishmael die of thirst, than to risk going out in the desert to give them water. And the “Cry of Ishmael” continues to rise up to God to this very day. We say we are children of Abraham by faith. Do we hear our Father Abraham’s heart rending cry; “Ohhh, that Ishmael might live”? When will the church wake up and cry out for “the sons of Ishmael” with Father Abraham? Do we … do I really love Ishmael as Abraham did? Ishmael means, “God will hear in affliction”. Egypt is in great affliction! It is our prayer that God will hear the “The Cry of Ishmael, and and speak to the “woman” (the church), so that she would cry out with Abraham for Ishmael. That she would be filled with the “water from the well, and take rivers of living water of life to “The Sons of Ishmael.” The Cry of Ishmael rises up continually as the Muslims prayer call goes out over loud speakers 5 times a day and is heard where the Islamic people are throughout the world. This cry is very earnest. They seek for a God that seems far away. Ishmael was left fatherless. Islam says that God is not a father. Does Ishmael see God as he saw his earthly father Abraham? Just a ruling sovereign existence that shows absolutely no love? Could this be a part of why Muslims reject the idea that God is a Father? And say, “God has no son”? Neither do they know that God loves them.

The Luxor Egypt Full Conference Group

These messages greatly encouraged the 100 or more Believers that travelled the 11 hour ride on the train to Luxor from Cairo. The Pastors and leaders were challenged to take the people deeper into Christ, and many became bold in witnessing to Muslims, which is forbidden in Egypt.

God used MTM to cast a vision into the hearts of these Egyptian believers, of HIS heart for Egypt and the Arabic nations. Bro Raymond opened the well of water, inviting all not only to drink, but become a river of life for others, while Bro Emanuel encouraged Hagar (the church) to open her eyes and recognize the time is now to take that living water to Ishmael (the Arab nations). We realize that Egypt stands at a crossroad politically. Egypt is considered to be the “heart and brain” of the Islamic nations. What happens in Egypt will have effects on the rest of the Arab world (and we see this to this very day).

Egypt is ripe for the gospel as never before and God had MTM in Egypt for such a time as this. In the midst of turmoil and danger we found many open hearts. We believe that God has a special plan for Egypt, according to Isaiah 61:1-7.

The burden of the Lord for Egypt: Isa 19:19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.

CLICK HERE FOR A PICTURE TOUR OF MTM TO EGYPT